Coronavirus (COVID-19) Guidance for Schools

Businesses are strongly encouraged to coordinate with state and local health officials so timely and accurate information can guide appropriate responses. Local conditions will influence the decisions that public health officials make regarding community-level strategies. 

COVID-19 Guidance for Schools and Districts:  Updated July 21, 2020

A Collection of Guidance for Schools and Districts; Workplace Compliance During COVID-19 Pandemic & Schools and School-Based Programs

PDF Document Download - Updated August 3, 2020

FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES:

• U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
• Office of the Governor of California - California Coronavirus Response
• California Department of Public Health
• Cal/OSHA - Department of Industrial Relations
• California Department of Education
• Directory of Local Health Departments

Updated Orders & Guidance:

California Legislation - Updated 9/18/2020 

• AB 685 - COVID-19 IMMINENT HAZARD TO EMPLOYEES: EXPOSURE, NOTIFICATION, SERIOUS VIOLATIONS (SEPTEMBER 22, 2020) - SIA Member Alert

• SB 1159 - COVID-19 WORK COMP PRESUMPTION & MANDATORY EMPLOYER REPORTING REQUIREMENTS (SEPTEMBER 22, 2020) - SIA Member Alert - SIA Presentation

Sacramento County Department of Public Health Guidance - Updated 9/18/2020

• Partnership for Safe Reopening of Schools – COVID-19 Testing and Contact Tracing
• Recommended COVID-19 Protocols for Schools Addressing Potential Exposure and/or COVID-19 Positive Students, Teachers, and Staff at School and in the Workplace
• Clarification on Cohorts for Schools and School Districts
• COVID-19 Contact Tracing: A Course from Johns Hopkins

Employers - General Guidance

• California Blueprint for a Safer Economy - Find the status of activities in your county
• Follow the Employer Playbook for a Safe Reopening

• Industry guidance to reduce risk

Employers – Office Workspaces

• Follow this guidance for office workspaces to create a safer environment for workers.
• Review the guidance, prepare a plan, and post the checklist for office workspaces in your workplace to show customers and employees that you’ve reduced the risk and are open for business

K-12 Education - Guidance

• Follow this guidance for schools and school-based programs to create a safer environment for your students, families, and staff. This guidance applies to in-person learning and distance learning.
• Review the guidance, prepare a plan, and post the checklist for schools in your facility to show students, families, and staff that you’ve taken steps to mitigate COVID-19 spread.
• Check the answers to frequently asked questions about guidance for schools. 

• Follow the guidance related to cohorts of children and youth.

• See the California Interscholastic Federation statement for information about seasonal sports.

• Some schools may have reopened based on the COVID-19 and Reopening In-Person Learning Framework for K-12 Schools. These schools should follow the guidance on school closure provided in that framework when determining whether to close due to COVID-19 spread.
• Elementary education waiver:  See the Waiver Process Overview for details.
• Local health officers will need to submit the Waiver Notice Form to CDPH.
• Schools seeking a waiver can use the template Waiver Letter and Cover Form.
• Outdoor Playgrounds - Updated 9/28/2020

SIA MEMBER RESOURCES:

COVID-19 REOPENING REMINDERS FOR SCHOOLS

• Reopening Reminder List 

ENTRANCE POSTINGS – COVID-19 (CDC Available Print Materials)

• Workplace Specific Prevention Plan/Checklist V.2 (SIA Sample Template)
• Entrance Symptom Screening Checklist (SIA Sample Poster)
• Workplace Safety Social Distancing Information (SIA Sample Poster)
• Face Covering Requirements for General Public (CDC Poster)                                                                                                        

WORKPLACE POSTINGS – COVID-19 (CDC Available Print Materials)

• CDC What You Should Know About COVID-19
• CDC Symptoms of COVID-19
• CDC Stay Home if You’re Sick
• CDC Face Covering Requirements for Employees
  • Face coverings, masks, and respirators – Information & Overview
  • Face coverings, masks & respirators - Handout
  • Use of Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19 – CDC Recommendations
  • Voluntary use of N95 masks - Cal/OSHA
• CDC Handwashing
• CDC General Practices for Preventing the Spread of COVID-19
• CDC How to Protect Yourself and Others

Employee Training:

• Protocol for Addressing Workplace Exposure to COVID-19 (SIA  Template) 
• Hour Zero Online Training for SIA Members on COVID-19
• Employee Training PowerPoint Presentation
• Employee Training Handout
• Video - COVID-19 Stop the Spread of Germs
• Video - COVID-19 Worker Safety Message
• Employee Travel during a Pandemic - Sample Policy Template (.pdf)

ATHLETICS, ACTIVITIES & Childcare COHORTS:

• Guidance for Small Cohorts/Groups of Children and Youth – by topic - August 25, 2020

The guidance related to cohorts sets minimum guidelines for providing specialized, targeted support services, necessary in-person child supervision and limited instruction, and facilitation of distance learning in small group environments in ways that maintain the focus on health and safety to minimize transmission. This guidance enables schools to provide specialized services for students with disabilities and English learners, and in-person support for at-risk and high-need students. See the answers to frequently asked questions about cohort guidance.​

• Guidance on Cohorts
• Schools
• Childcare
• Day camps
• Youth sports
  • COVID-19 INTERIM GUIDANCE: Youth Sports Release date - August 3, 2020
  • Youth Sports Questions and Answers - Update as of September 18, 2020
  • CDC Considerations for Youth Sports - 
  • CIF 2020 Fall Sports and Return to Physical Activity/Training - Updated: July 20, 2020

ASSUMPTION OF RISK/WAIVER OF LIABILITY AGREEMENT FORMS:  FOR USE DURING COVID-19

• Legal Analysis Regarding Childcare Scenarios

• FORM: PARTICIPATION IN EXTRACURRICULAR SPORT, CLUB OR ACTIVITY (Used in conjunction with the appropriate PARTICIPATION form) (.doc)
  • EX:  Student participation in athletics conditioning or extracurricular activity
• FORM:  DISTRICT TRANSPORTATION COVID-19 PROTOCOLS AGREEMENT (Used in conjunction with the appropriate TRANSPORTATION form) (.doc)
  • ​EX:  Voluntary student transportation on a school bus
• FORM:  USE OF FACILITIES ADDENDUM (Used in conjunction with USE OF FACILITIES AGREEMENT) and the appropriate PARTICIPATION form) (.doc)
  • ​EX:  3rd party use of district facilities such as Boy/Girls Scouts
• FORM: EMPLOYEE OF OUTSIDE ORGANIZATION ON-SITE (.doc)
  • ​EX:  Employee of an outside program offered on a district campus such as childcare or extended learning.
• FORM: PARTICIPANT IN OUTSIDE ORGANIZATION ON-SITE PROGRAM (.doc)
  • ​EX:  Student participation in an outside program offered on a district campus such as childcare or extended learning.
• FORM: STAFF MEMBER'S CHILD(REN) ON-SITE (.doc)
  • ​EX:  Staff member authorized by the district and site administration to bring their children) on-campus during their regularly scheduled workday, and under the direct supervision of the parent/staff member.  

California Healthy School Act & Integrated Pest Management (IPM):

• Do I need training to use a disinfectant?
• IPM Training for School Staff - Online Training Options
• Reminders for Using Disinfectants for Schools and Child Care 
• What About Hand Sanitizers?
• EPA Approved Cleaners
• Disinfecting Fogger Tips

PATTI EYRES RESOURCES

• 8-27-20:  School Districts and COEs webinar on COVID 19 Scenarios
• July 2020:  Outline for COVID-19 10-step interactive process
• 5-28-2020:  Transitioning to reopening schools
• 3-20-2020:  COVID-19 Q&A

Americans with Disabilities Act: 

• Pandemic Preparedness in the Workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Act - U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission:  What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws

​k-12 EDUCATION USE AWARENESS POSTERS FROM THE CDC

• File with links embedded (.pdf)